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Abstract:

The invention relates to a device (1) for shaping plastic pre-forms (10)
into plastic containers (20) using a blower device (2), which subjects
the plastic pre-forms (10) to a gaseous medium in order to expand the
plastic pre-forms (10) into plastic containers (20), wherein the blower
device (2) has a blower nozzle (6), which can be applied onto an opening
(10a) of the plastic pre-forms (10) in order to subject them to the
gaseous medium, wherein the blower device (2) has a carrier (4) for the
blower nozzle (6) through which the gaseous medium can flow, and the
blower device (2) has a connection mechanism in order to arrange the
blower nozzle (6) on the carrier (4) in a removable fashion, wherein the
blower nozzle (6) can be removed from the carrier (4) without tools.

Claims:

1-15. (canceled)

16. An apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics
material containers, comprising: a blowing device which acts upon the
plastics material pre-forms with a gaseous medium in order to expand the
plastics material pre-forms to form plastics material containers, the
blowing device including a blowing nozzle which is capable of being
applied to an aperture of the plastics material pre-forms in order to act
upon them with the gaseous medium, and a support for the blowing nozzle,
through which the gaseous medium is capable of flowing, and a connecting
mechanism in order to arrange the blowing nozzle on the support in a
detachable manner, wherein the blowing nozzle is capable of being removed
from the support without any tools.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the connecting mechanism
is designed in such a way that the blowing nozzle is capable of being
removed by a relative movement between the blowing nozzle and the
support.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the blowing nozzle is
capable of being detached from the support by a relative movement between
the blowing nozzle and the support, said movement encompassing an angle
of rotation of less than 360.degree..

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said movement encompasses
an angle of rotation of less than 180.degree..

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said movement encompasses
an angle of rotation of less than 120.degree..

21. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the blowing nozzle is
capable of being withdrawn from the support.

22. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein an engagement portion,
which in an assembled state of the support and the blowing nozzle engages
in a receiving area of the blowing nozzle, is arranged on the support.

23. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein an engagement member
capable of being moved radially with respect to the blowing nozzle is
arranged on the support.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the engagement member has
an engagement portion which engages in an area of the blowing nozzle in
an assembled state of the blowing nozzle and the support.

25. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the support has a recess
in which at least one portion of the engagement member is arranged.

26. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein a spring element is
provided, which pre-stresses the engagement member with respect to the
support.

27. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the support has a
retaining means which prevents the engagement member from falling out of
the support.

28. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the engagement member is
arranged so as to be pivotable about a pre-set pivot axis.

29. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein at least one engagement
member, the external cross-section of which is adapted to an internal
cross-section of at least one engagement recess arranged on the blowing
nozzle, is arranged on the support.

30. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a sealing element is
provided which seals off the support with respect to the blowing nozzle.

31. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus is a
stretching blow moulding machine.

32. A blowing device for a stretching blow moulding machine, which acts
upon plastics material pre-forms with a gaseous medium in order to expand
the plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers, the
blowing device comprising: a blowing nozzle which is capable of being
applied to an aperture of the plastics material pre-forms in order to act
upon them with the gaseous medium; a support for the blowing nozzle,
which support is capable of having the gaseous medium flow through it;
and a connecting mechanism in order to arrange the blowing nozzle on the
support in a detachable manner, wherein the blowing nozzle is capable of
being removed from the support without any tools.

33. An apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics
material containers, comprising: a blowing device configured to act upon
plastics material pre-forms with a gaseous medium in order to expand the
plastics material pre-forms to form plastics material containers, the
blowing device including a blowing nozzle configured to be applied to an
aperture of the plastics material pre-forms in order to act upon them
with the gaseous medium, and a support for the blowing nozzle, through
which the gaseous medium is capable of flowing, and a connecting
mechanism configured to detachably couple the blowing nozzle with the
support, the blowing nozzle being removable from the support without any
tools.

34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the connecting mechanism
is designed in such a way that the blowing nozzle is capable of being
removed by a relative movement between the blowing nozzle and the
support.

35. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein an engagement member
capable of being moved radially with respect to the blowing nozzle is
arranged on the support.

Description:

[0002] Apparatus of this type have long been known from the prior art. In
this case these blowing devices generally have a blowing nozzle which can
be applied to an aperture of a pre-form in order to act upon the latter
with a gaseous medium and as a result to expand it--generally against a
blow mould. In this case it is possible for a plurality of different
containers or pre-forms to be blown on a suitable blowing device. When
changing over to a different type of container, however, it is necessary
to some extent to change the blowing nozzle.

[0003] A blow moulding machine is known from DE 36 23 099 C3. In this case
this blow moulding machine has a sleeve or nozzle which is capable of
being inserted into the interior of a container. Changing this blowing
nozzle, however, is not described in DE 36 23 099 C3.

[0004] DE 35 20 721 A1 describes a blowing mandrel for extrusion blow
moulding machines. In this case it is possible for a suitable cutting
sleeve to be exchanged, the sealing tightness of the corresponding
blowing mandrel not being adversely affected by changing the cutting
sleeve.

[0005] A clamping apparatus for blowing mandrels of blow moulding machines
is known from DE 36 36 566 A1. In this case each blowing mandrel is
held--in a manner movable in the longitudinal direction by way of a guide
pin--on a support part fastened to a guide plate. In order to change the
blowing mandrel, in this case the entire blowing mandrel can be unscrewed
from the support part, but this is relatively complicated.

[0006] An adjustable blowing nozzle is known from JP 2007320133 A. In this
case a contact force of the nozzle can be varied. Replacement of the
nozzle itself, however, is not described in JP 2007 320 133 A.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to achieve a more rapid
adaptation of blowing devices to different types of containers or
pre-forms. This is achieved according to the invention by an apparatus
according to claim 1 and a blowing device according to claim 15.
Advantageous embodiments and further developments form the subject matter
of the sub-claims.

[0008] An apparatus according to the invention for shaping plastics
material pre-forms into plastics material containers has a blowing device
which acts upon the plastics material pre-forms with a gaseous medium in
order to expand the plastics material pre-forms to form plastics material
containers. In addition, the blowing device has a blowing nozzle which is
capable of being applied to an aperture of the plastics material
pre-forms in order to act upon them with the gaseous medium. According to
the invention the blowing device has a support for the blowing nozzle or
part of the blowing nozzle, through which the gaseous medium is capable
of flowing, and the blowing device has a connecting mechanism in order to
arrange the blowing nozzle or part of the blowing nozzle on the support
in a detachable manner, the blowing nozzle being capable of being removed
from the support without any tools.

[0009] In this way, according to the invention, a blowing nozzle capable
of being removed without any tools is proposed in order to convert an
apparatus for shaping the plastics material pre-forms into plastics
material containers in a rapid manner to different types of containers or
different types of pre-forms. It should be noted in this case that
apparatus of this type generally have a multiplicity of blowing nozzles
of this type, so that a considerable saving in time is achieved by a
suitably rapid and manual change or change without any tools. In this
case the blowing nozzle can be produced in a multiplicity of parts. It is
preferable, however, for the connecting mechanism designed in such a way
that all the elements of the blowing nozzle are capable of being removed
without any tools.

[0010] It is preferable for the connecting mechanism to be designed in
such a way that the blowing nozzle is capable of being removed by a
relative movement between the blowing nozzle and the support. In this
case it would be possible for the blowing nozzle to be connected to the
support by way of a screw fastening. It is preferable, however, for the
blowing nozzle to be capable of being removed from the support by a
relative movement between the blowing nozzle and the support, this
movement preferably encompassing an angle of less than 360°,
preferably less than 180°, and in a particularly preferred manner
less than 120°.

[0011] In this case it is preferable for the blowing nozzle to be capable
of being removed not solely by this relative movement, but by a linear
movement following this relative movement, for example withdrawing the
blowing nozzle from the support in the longitudinal direction of the
nozzle or along an axis of rotation of the aforesaid relative movement.
In this way the blowing nozzle is preferably also capable of being
withdrawn from the support, it being particularly preferred in this case
for no screw fastening to be provided between the blowing nozzle and the
support.

[0012] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment an engagement
portion, which in an assembled state of the support and the blowing
nozzle engages in a receiving area of the blowing nozzle, is arranged on
the support. In this case it is preferable for this engagement portion to
have a circular cross-section and it is also preferable for the receiving
area to have a circular cross-section, so that the engagement portion can
be inserted in the manner of a telescope into the aforesaid receiving
area. In this way, in this embodiment, this engagement portion and the
receiving area form the connecting mechanism between the support and the
blowing nozzle.

[0013] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment an engagement
member capable of being moved radially with respect to the blowing nozzle
is arranged on the support. In this case this engagement member
preferably acts as a means for preventing rotation or as a means for
preventing loosening, in order to prevent the blowing nozzle from being
inadvertently detached from the support. It is preferably necessary in
this case for the engagement member to be actuated in order to be able to
detach the blowing nozzle and the support from each other. The engagement
member is preferably also capable of being moved with respect to the
support. The movement of the engagement member with respect to the
support or the blowing nozzle may be both a purely radial movement and a
movement such as contains further components (for example in the
longitudinal direction) in addition to a radial component.

[0014] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment the engagement
member has an engagement portion which engages in an area of the blowing
nozzle in an assembled state of the blowing nozzle and the support. This
engagement portion is used to prevent rotation and in the case of a
preferred embodiment it can be actuated manually when screwing the
blowing nozzle both in and out. In particular, however, manual actuation
when screwing out is advantageous, it being possible in a further
embodiment for the engagement portion also to engage manually during the
screwing in.

[0015] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment the support has a
recess in which at least one portion of the engagement member is arranged
in an assembled state. This engagement results in the prevention of
rotation. In addition, the engagement member can be guided during its
movement by the recess (in particular in the peripheral direction of the
blowing nozzle). It is preferable for the engagement member to be
produced from plastics material or high-grade steel.

[0016] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment a spring element
is provided, preferably on the support, and pre-stresses the engagement
member with respect to the support. On account of this spring element it
is made possible to prevent rotation between the blowing nozzle and the
support in an assembled state.

[0017] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment the support has a
retaining means which prevents the engagement member from falling out of
the support. The nature of this retaining means is explained in greater
detail with reference to the figures.

[0018] It is pointed out that the respective embodiment of the engagement
member described can also take place in another way. In particular, it is
possible for the engagement member to be arranged in the reverse manner
on the blowing nozzle and for a portion of this engagement member to
engage in the support. In a corresponding manner, the retaining means
could also be arranged on the blowing nozzle and in the reverse manner
the recess on the support.

[0019] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment the engagement
member is a spherical body which, in particular, can engage in a recess
which is like a hole for example. In the case of a further advantageous
embodiment a plurality of engagement members are distributed around the
external periphery of the support in a uniform manner. In this case,
however, it is also possible for the engagement members to be arranged
offset with respect to one another in the longitudinal direction of the
support.

[0020] It would also be possible, however, for all the engagement members
to be arranged within a circumferential angle of less than 180°,
in order that they can be actuated more easily at the same time with one
hand.

[0021] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment the engagement
member is arranged so as to be pivotable about a pre-set pivot axle. In
this case this pivot axle or a corresponding pivot shaft can be
incorporated in the support or the blowing nozzle and, in particular, in
the support.

[0022] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment an engagement
member, which extends in the peripheral direction of the support and the
external cross-section of which is adapted to an internal cross-section
of an engagement recess arranged on the blowing nozzle, is arranged on
the support. In this way it is possible for example for the support to
have an element which is not formed in a circular shape in a radial
direction and which engages in a correspondingly shaped recess in the
blowing nozzle.

[0023] This arrangement is explained in greater detail with reference to
the description of the figures.

[0024] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment the blowing nozzle
has a receiving region into which a connecting portion of the support is
capable of being inserted. In this way, the blowing nozzle is pressed
onto a region of the support, at least in part in the case of this
embodiment. In this case it is preferable for this receiving region to
surround the connecting portion completely in a peripheral direction
(with respect to the longitudinal direction of the blowing nozzle). The
receiving region and the connecting portion jointly form the connecting
mechanism mentioned above or part of it.

[0025] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment a sealing element
is provided which seals off the support with respect to the blowing
nozzle. This sealing element can be for example an O-ring. However, a
seal by way of corresponding abutment faces of the support and the
blowing nozzle would also be possible.

[0026] In the case of a further advantageous embodiment the apparatus is a
stretching blow moulding machine. In this way, in the case of this
embodiment the apparatus also has a stretching rod which for example is
capable of being guided through the blowing nozzle.

[0027] The present invention further relates to a blowing device for a
stretching blow moulding machine, which acts upon plastics material
pre-forms with a gaseous medium in order to expand the plastics material
pre-forms into plastics material containers, the blowing device having a
blowing nozzle which is capable of being applied to an aperture of the
plastics material pre-forms in order to act upon them with the gaseous
medium. According to the invention the blowing device has a support for
the blowing nozzle, which support is capable of having the gaseous medium
flow through it, and the blowing device additionally has a connecting
mechanism in order to arrange the blowing nozzle on the support in a
detachable manner, it being possible for the blowing nozzle to be removed
from the support without any tools.

[0028] In this case it is possible for an outer face of this blowing
nozzle to have a textured surface so that it can be gripped more easily
by a hand and can be turned with respect to the support. In this case the
blowing nozzle itself can be designed in various ways. In this way, the
blowing nozzle can be designed in such a way that it is capable of being
inserted into an aperture of the container, but it would also be possible
for the blowing nozzle to be applied to an upper edge of the container
and to seal it off from the latter, and finally it would also be possible
for the blowing nozzle to be applied to an outer area of the aperture,
such as for example a support ring or a locking ring of the container.

[0029] Further advantages and embodiments are evident from the
accompanying drawings. In the drawings

[0030] FIG. 1 is a view of a stretching blow moulding machine according to
the prior art;

[0031] FIG. 2 is a view of a blowing device;

[0032] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a blowing device according to the
invention;

[0033] FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line A-A from FIG. 3 of the
device shown in FIG. 3, and

[0034] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the detail shown in FIG. 3.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a machine 50 for processing containers. In this case
the reference number 1 designates in its entirety an apparatus for
shaping pre-forms 10 to form containers 20. Expressed in more precisely,
the pre-forms 10 are supplied to this apparatus 1 by way of a first star
wheel 54 and after that the pre-forms are shaped in the apparatus 1 to
form containers 20, in which case they are conveyed during this shaping
procedure on a conveying wheel 56 acting as a conveying device. The
containers 20 produced in this way are then conveyed away by way of a
further star wheel 53 (which is shown only in part). For the sake of
simplicity only one apparatus 1 is illustrated.

[0036] In this case the apparatus 1 has a blow mould 5 inside which the
actual shaping procedure takes place. In addition, the apparatus has a
rod member or a stretching rod 33, the upper end of which is arranged on
a holding means 11. During the expansion procedure the holding means 11
moves downwards with the stretching rod 33 and in this way a stretching
procedure of the pre-forms 10 in the longitudinal direction L thereof
takes place (FIG. 2). At the same time, air is introduced into the
pre-forms 10 by way of a blowing nozzle in order to expand these
pre-forms 10. The reference 10a designates an aperture of the pre-form
10, by way of which the stretching rod 2 is introduced into the pre-form
10.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a blowing device according to the
invention. In this case this blowing device has a blowing nozzle 6 which
during the blowing procedure is applied to an aperture 10a of the
container present inside a blow mould 5. This blowing nozzle 6 is also
moved in a longitudinal direction L of the container.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a blowing device according to the
invention, more specifically a support 4 on which a blowing nozzle
designated 6 in its entirety is arranged. In this case it is evident that
in this case a cross-section of this blowing nozzle 6 is enlarged towards
the top from below and a portion of the support 4 is arranged in a
transition region 6a. The reference number 22 relates to an engagement
member which, as explained in greater detail below, acts as a means to
prevent rotation between the blowing nozzle 6 and the support in an
assembled state. In this case this engagement member 22 can be actuated
manually in order to release this means to prevent rotation. The
reference number 36 relates to two openings in the support 4, through
which openings extends a pin or a shaft 34 which is shown in FIG. 5 and
on which in turn the engagement member 22 is arranged.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line A-A from FIG. 3 of the
arrangement shown in FIG. 3. It is evident in this case that the support
4 has a connecting portion 14 which engages in the transition region 6a
or in the interior thereof or a receiving region 16 of the blowing nozzle
6 adapted to this connecting portion. In this case it will likewise be
seen that this connecting portion 14 has arranged on it a projection 42,
or more precisely--as shown in FIG. 5--a plurality of projections 42,
which engages or engage in a recess 38 in the receiving region 6a adapted
accordingly. A tube member 40, which extends in the longitudinal
direction L and the upper end of which has a connecting member or a
flange 12, is arranged in the blowing nozzle 6, it being possible for
this connecting member 12 to rest in turn on the support 4 in order to
form a seal. This tube member 40, with which the connecting member 12 is
formed in one piece, forms the nozzle element which is capable of being
inserted into the aperture of a container at least in part.

[0040] A duct 8, along which a gaseous medium--such as for example
air--can flow, is formed inside the support 4. Openings 28, which allow
the air to flow out in part into an interspace 48 between the tubular
member 40 and a peripheral wall 7 of the blowing nozzle, are arranged in
turn in the tubular member 40. The connecting member 12 or the nozzle
element 12, 40 respectively can be supported in this case with respect to
a step 6b of the blowing nozzle and in this way the nozzle element in
FIG. 4 is prevented from slipping downwards. The stretching rod can also
move through this nozzle element 12, 40 or the tubular member 40 thereof
respectively. In this case the tubular member 40 is also a component part
of the blowing nozzle 6.

[0041] It will be additionally seen that the engagement member 22 is
arranged so as to be pivotable about a shaft which extends through an
opening 32. In addition, this engagement member 22 has an engagement
portion which, as will be explained in greater detail below--engages in
an area of the blowing nozzle 6 in a secured or assembled state. In this
case a spring device 35 forces this engagement member 22 or the portion
24 of the engagement member 22 radially outwards, i.e. in the direction
R. It will be additionally seen that the engagement portion 24 of the
engagement member 22 is arranged at substantially the same height as a
projection 46 (cf. FIG. 5) which is arranged on the blowing nozzle 6 and
projects radially inwards.

[0042] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a blowing device 2 according to the
invention. In this case it is evident once again that the support 4 has a
recess 26 in which the engagement member 22 is arranged so as to be
pivotable. This recess 26 also extends into the region of a peripheral
groove 43 formed above the projections 42. The reference number 34
designates the shaft which extends through the openings 36 and also
through an opening 32 in the engagement member 22 in order to support the
latter in a pivotable manner. In this way, this shaft 34 also acts as a
retaining means which prevents the engagement member from falling out of
the support 4. A tube member 52, through which blown air can pass, is
arranged in the interior of the blowing nozzle 6. In addition, this tube
member 52 also allows a stretching rod (not shown) to pass through.

[0043] The reference number 18 relates to a sealing element, such as an
O-ring or a steel ring, which is used for sealing off the nozzle with
respect to a container during the blowing procedure. In addition, it
would be possible for a further sealing element (not shown) to be
provided, which seals off the support 4 with respect to the nozzle
element 12, 40.

[0044] In this case, in the assembled state the tube member 52 and the
flange or the connecting member 12 respectively are pressed against each
other in order to achieve a sealing effect in this way. The engagement
portion 24 can engage in a corresponding engagement recess 45 which is
arranged on the projection 46. The reference number 47 relates to a head
of the blowing nozzle 6.

[0045] In this case it would be possible for suitable recesses 45 also to
be arranged on the other projections 46. Prevention of rotation is made
possible by this engagement. For assembly, the blowing nozzle 6 is pushed
onto the support 4, or expressed more precisely, over the connecting
portion 14, in which case it is precisely this relative rotational
setting between the blowing nozzle 6 and the support 4 which has to be
taken into consideration, so that the two elements can be guided one in
the other, it being possible for the projections 42 to pass through
recesses 44 between the projections 46 of the blowing nozzle.

[0046] After that the blowing nozzle 6 is rotated with respect to the
support 4, so that co-operation of the projections 42 and the projections
46 results in the blowing nozzle 6 holding on the support 4 in the
longitudinal direction. In this case it would also be possible for
example for the projections 43 to be arranged slightly obliquely in the
longitudinal direction L, so that as a result of a rotation of the
blowing nozzle 6 with respect to the support 4 the blowing nozzle 6 is
also pressed slightly against the support 4 in the longitudinal direction
L, in order to increase the sealing effect in this way.

[0047] All the features disclosed in the application documents are claimed
as being essential to the invention, insofar as they are novel either
individually or in combination as compared with the prior art.

Patent applications by KRONES AG

Patent applications in class WITH APPARATUS ASSEMBLY OR DISMANTLING MEANS OR WITH IDLE PART

Patent applications in all subclasses WITH APPARATUS ASSEMBLY OR DISMANTLING MEANS OR WITH IDLE PART